RP health chief bristles over travel advisories

MANILA, Philippines - Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Tuesday bristled over the travel advisories issued by the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada on the Philippines due to the two confirmed cases of A(H1N1) infection. Duque said he was "surprised" to learn of the advisories, saying there was no reason for a travel ban to the country since it has relatively less cases of the dreaded flu than other countries. "I'm surprised. There is no basis. It defeats logic. We should be issuing the travel ban ahead of them as they have more cases but I'll have to check this out with the Department of Foreign Affairs," he said. Duque disclosed last week that a 10-year-old girl and a 50-year-old woman were the country's first two confirmed A(H1N1) cases. Both came from the United States. Meanwhile, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ordered the Department of Health (DOH) to make sure that all state hospitals nationwide are prepared to handle such cases. She issued the order at a briefing during the joint National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)-National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) meeting held at the Petron Office in Pandacan, Manila. Duque said that thus far, the identified referral centers for suspected A(H1N1) cases include are the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), the Vicente Sotto Memorial Hospital in Cebu City, and the Davao Medical Center, also in Davao City. He however stressed that the AH1N1 virus has not yet reached pandemic level and there is no need yet for an additional budget. He said the P1-million fund from the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) would be used to stockpile vaccines. For his part, Education Secretary Jesli Lapus reiterated it is all systems go for the school opening on June 1 despite the two confirmed cases of A(H1N1) in the country. "It is not prudent to postpone the opening of classes as we would be answerable to some 43,000 schools," he said. - GMANews.TV